Samuel of Nehardea

Samuel ( from Nehardea ) / Samuel bar Abba / Mar Samuel [ Mar = Lord] / also Ariokh the Great ( BM 85b) called [ not identical with Samuel Mar Mar ( i)] (* at the end of the 2nd century in Nehardea, Babylonia, died ibid around the middle of the 3rd century, according Iggeret Rab Sherira Gaon in 254) a Babylonian Amora was ( Talmudic scholar ).

Samuel studied with his father, Abba bar Abba ( Abba Abba ben ha - Kohen ), as well as Levi ben Sisi, who had emigrated from the Roman occupied Palestine to Babylonia, which was under the rule of the Persians. Whether Samuel studied in Palestine even with Jude haNasi, is not assured.

Around the middle of the 3rd century Samuel was the head of an important Bet Midrash and Beth Din in Nehardea. He was in his time the leading authority in matters of civil law. In this area later generations accepted his decisions as binding. He was a personal friend of the Persian King Shapur I, and met with him an agreement which is laid down in the Talmud tractate Baba Qama (113a ) and has prevailed throughout the Jewish Diaspora: The law of (even the non-Jewish ) Government (for the Jews ) Act ( in Aramaic original: דינא דמלכותא דינא - dina dina de - malchuta ). Other principles of it are: The obligation to deliver the proof lies with the claimant and in financial processes, we do not follow the majority. Out of concern for orphans, he determined that their money can be borrowed at interest - in contrast to the Talmudic rule that money to Jews must not be loaned at interest.

In addition to the Persian king and the Exilarch Mar UKBA was one of Samuel's personal friend, was present at the court sessions Samuel. The Talmudic scholars had thorough knowledge of astronomy and said: The streets of heaven are also known as the streets of Nehardea ( in Tractate Berachot ) me. His knowledge in this area earned him the nickname Jarchinai (variant: Jarchinaa = " astronomer " ) a. In addition, he also worked as a doctor and developed an ointment for the treatment of eye disease, which is also mentioned in the Talmud. In his view, the Messiah will come only after the Jewish people have suffered cruel persecution, and he was of the opinion, the only difference between his and the messianic era is the freedom from oppression by foreign powers. He was not a supporter of exaggerated asceticism and allowed worldly pleasures, provided that they are preceded by the blessing offered.